n keeping with the spirit of the Olympic Games, champions can be found throughout the
UH Bauer College of Business. They are our students, alumni and friends. Speaking of
champions, former University of Houston regent Mike Cemo perfectly fits that description.
With UH President and Chancellor Renu Khator, Chairman of the Board of Regents
Welcome Wilson, Sr., and many others on hand for the ground-breaking of Michael J.
Cemo Hall, it was a great day, and once again we were reminded of the legacy of Ted
Bauer’s amazing gift to this college almost eight years ago. Ted’s giving not only catapulted
Bauer College in terms of its student and faculty achievements, it’s been immeasurably
significant because of the way it has inspired others to give. The chain of giving he started
Arthur D. Warga
is an important part of what compelled Mike to contribute, and it’s been a key factor for
Dean,
C. T. Bauer College of Business
people like Sharon and John Stubblefield, Darlene and John McNabb, Debbie and Jack
Moore, and Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff.
As you can see, the exponential effect of Ted’s gift is incalculable.
Our accomplishments continue to drive up the value of the degree, and
supporters can clearly see their contributions are not just paying for
facilities, but are supporting some truly impressive, gold medal worthy
achievements.
Just look at what’s already happened in the first quarter of this year: a
stock analysis team from Bauer was judged the best in the entire U.S.,
beating out powerhouse business schools like MIT and Carnegie Mellon
and coming in third in the world in the Chartered Financial Analyst
Institute’s Global Investment Research Challenge. Bauer students from
the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship earned third and
first place awards at the Northwest Venture Championship in Boise, Idaho,
and another third place in the Nascent 500 Business Plan Challenge at Ball
State University. Our entrepreneurship students have won more awards in
national business plan competitions than any other school in the country
in the past seven years.
UH System Board of Regents Chair Welcome Wilson, Sr.,
Former UH Board of Regents vice chair Michael J. Cemo, and
Apropos to this Journal’s theme is the Ted Bauer Golf Classic
UH President and UHS Chancellor Renu Khator celebrate the
presented by the Bauer Alumni Association in May. The golf outing,
groundbreaking for Michael J. Cemo Hall.
hosted by Champions Golf Club, had a record number of golfers who
raised more than $50,000 to fund 100 scholarships.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Inside these pages, you’ll also find a story about our alumna, Olympic gold medalist
Shannon Miller. Her spirit and determination can be found in each instance that I’ve noted
■ Olympic
above.
Champ Credits
With all these exciting developments, there is an increased need for more people to join
UH Bauer
the growing family of Bauer supporters. We hope you’ll be a champion of our college and in
■ An Outstanding
doing so, set the stage for many more champions to follow.
Educator
Sincerely,
■ Magazines Call
Houston #1
■

any successful entrepreneurs share traits
Miller now devotes much of her time
similar to Olympic athletes — strong will,
to charity work for causes including Special
unwavering confidence and ambitious attitude.
Olympics, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s
UH Bauer College of Business alumna Shannon
disease, March of Dimes, Drug Free Youth,
Miller (’03), who was recently inducted into the
the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Pediatric
International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame,
AIDS Foundation. She also travels the world as
has all three in spades.
a professional speaker on topics ranging from
Miller is the most decorated gymnast in
health and fitness to leadership and goal setting.
U.S. history, with seven Olympic medals and
Last year, Miller founded the Shannon
nine World Championship medals to her name
Miller Foundation, an organization dedicated
since her Elite International debut in 1991.
to fighting childhood obesity. “I’ve always been
She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing &
involved in charity because it’s something my
entrepreneurship from Bauer College before
parents instilled in me at an early age,” she
graduating from Boston College Law School
said. “Last year, I was taking stock of what I
in 2007.
was doing and where I was going, and I found
Using the skills she sharpened at Bauer,
I wanted to start my own foundation. It came
Miller has already opened one business, started
down to what I was passionate about — for me,
a non-profit organization and is working
that was working with kids, fitness and promoting ‘Healthy
on another business venture. “The program gave me a
Lifestyle.’” Miller was also appointed co-chair of the Florida
background that helped me not only to run a business, but
Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness by Governor Charlie
also to figure out what steps to take before making that
Christ. Next summer, she will host “Gymnastics at Sea,” a
leap,” she said.
cruise that will take young athletes, their families and gym
“In business and sports, you have to have the same goalclubs on a week long Caribbean Cruise while giving them a
setting ability,” Miller added.
glimpse of what it takes to be
“You have to set goals, you
“The lessons you learn in sports are life successful physically, mentally
have to follow through, and
and emotionally.
you have to work hard. Having lessons. I’ve been able to pull those over
Although she doesn’t
your own business is a lot like
compete
professionally
to the rest of my life and my education.”
being an athlete — it’s up to
anymore, Miller has stayed
you individually. Other people
connected to her roots as a gymnast, through sports
put time and effort into what you do, but you’re running the
commentary, hosting her weekly television show, Gymnastics
show, and you don’t want to disappoint anyone.”
360º with Shannon Miller, on the Comcast Network,
Before coming to Bauer, Miller earned two gold medals
conducting balance beam clinics for young gymnasts across
at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, one as part of the
the country, and as a member of the USA Gymnastics
“Magnificent 7” team and another for her solo performance
board. This summer she will join the 2008 Olympic team
on the balance beam, a first for an American gymnast.
performing on a 40 city post-Olympic tour.
During her career, Miller has won an astounding 59
Miller plans to be in the thick of the action at the
International and 49 National medals.
upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing and will find out in
“The lessons you learn in sports are life lessons,” she
July exactly where she’ll be working during the Games. She
said. “I’ve been able to pull those over to the rest of my life
has stayed connected to the event that made her a household
and my education. I’m one of those people that gets bored
name, appearing on MSNBC and NBC as a commentator for
easily, and I like to be in control of my own destiny. I chose
the 2000 Games in Sydney and the 2004 Games in Athens.
entrepreneurship because I thought going into business for
Miller says her experience in the entrepreneurship
myself would help with that.”
program at Bauer College, which is the #2 ranked

undergraduate program in the nation, helped to lay the
foundation for her career outside competitive gymnastics.
“My experience at Bauer and UH was invaluable,” she
said. “It was definitely educational but also experiential. I’d
been going to college part-time for so long because I was
training for the Olympics, so this was the first time in my
college experience that I got to be part of a class and bounce
around ideas about my future. It made me hone in on the
types of things I wanted to do with my life.”

he UH C. T. Bauer College of Business didn’t exist
go directly into the profession (from college) and you’re on
when James Pratt, the PricewaterhouseCoopers Profesthe same pay scale as everyone else at that level. Once you
sor for Accounting & Taxation, began attending school here
achieve excellence, people can set aside prior preconceived
in 1961.
notions.”
Charles “Ted” Bauer’s generous, transformative gift was
Even the accounting scandals that occurred earlier in
decades away. The UH business school was part of a private,
this decade brought about positive changes, Pratt said. With
not public institution. Yet Pratt’s student years embodied
the watershed passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, “The
the essence of a typical Bauer student of 2008 — he was the
accounting profession changed its approach and needed
first in his family to attend college, and he worked his way
more people,” he said.
through college, never able to take more than 12 hours of
The quality of students has also been on an upward
classes at a time. All these years later, he has been recognized
climb, Pratt said, something that businesses have made note
for his ability to inspire current and former students, fellow
of. “Recruiters come out in greater numbers than we ever
teachers and world leaders in the accounting profession.
dreamed of,” Pratt said.
When Pratt received the Outstanding Achievement
Another advantage Bauer students have over others,
Award at the Accounting Advisory Board’s Awards
Pratt said, is that “our students come to work with a
Banquet this spring, it was the culmination of many years’
work ethic; it’s not something that has to be developed,”
contributions to the business school. “I’m obviously very
he added. “Most have been paying some or all the cost
pleased and honored,” he said a few weeks later, “but for me,
of school. And the diversity of the school helps our
the award is getting to meet students and watch them grow
students develop an appreciation for all different kinds of
and indirectly receive some credit for their success.”
cultures. I think they’re going to be much better suited for
Of the tens of thousands of students he taught or
international business.”
worked alongside during four decades, there are standouts.
Pratt is also proud of Bauer’s Beta Alpha Psi chapter, and
Pratt taught Fran Keeth (MS ACCY ’80), the retired
the Professional Program in Accounting, both of which he
president of Shell Chemical LP, who was the graduate
helped to start. But Pratt insists on sharing the credit with
programs commencement speaker in May. And Pratt
other members of the accounting department, deflecting the
got to know Samuel DiPiazza
praise that comes his way.
(MS ACCY ’73) when DiPiazza
At the Accounting & Taxation
was a student here. The Global
Awards Banquet, Pratt had no choice
CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers
but to absorb the words of admirers
holds one of the top accounting
like Paul Peacock (’81), a partner
positions in the world and sent his
with PricewaterhouseCoopers,
congratulations to Pratt in time for
who first met Pratt when he was
the awards banquet, calling him an
a student, but over the years has
“outstanding educator as well as a
become a close friend.
wonderful person. The skills and
“I often tell my colleagues
business values I employ each day
that their personal legacy will be
were further shaped in Jim’s classes.
measured not by the clients they
Jim Pratt is truly an asset to the
serve or the engagements they win,
University of Houston as well as the Professor Jim Pratt and PwC Global CEO and Bauer
but instead by the impact they have
alum Samuel DiPiazza, right, have built a lasting
accounting profession!”
on those around them — the people
friendship over three decades.
Pratt can’t pinpoint exactly
they mentor, teach and develop,”
how he came to the conclusion that he wanted to be an
Peacock said. “By that measure, he has had a tremendous
accountant, but since becoming involved, he has never
impact on so many of us who passed through the halls of the
grown weary of the profession. Early on, he joined a firm,
Bauer College of Business.”
only to find his true calling was teaching. After earning a
“Your dedication over the last 35 years has led to
Ph.D. at the University of Southern California, he returned
countless careers in accounting and taxation being formed
to UH to teach.
at UH, and successful livelihoods secured and enjoyed. I
“Probably the most important thing that’s happened
have very fond memories of the University of Houston. Said
(during Pratt’s tenure at UH) is Mr. Bauer’s gift,” Pratt said.
more accurately, those memories are of the friends I made,
Another positive change over the years has been the influx
of people who invested in my growth and development, of
of women into the profession, Pratt said, recalling that there
people like you who took the time to care. Thank you for all
was only one female in his own classes. “I think the reason so
that you did for me and for thousands of other students.”
many women saw an opportunity in accounting is that you

4

Houston Rated Top U.S. City By BusinessWeek and Kimplinger’s Personal Finance

UH Bauer Affirms City’s
Strength, Vibrancy

Despite economic uncertainty across the country, both
BusinessWeek and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine
have high praise for the opportunities Houston offers its
residents. Houston has landed on top of recent lists from
both publications ranking the best cities across the nation for
earning a living.
Education and employment efforts from the C. T. Bauer
College of Business at the University of Houston continue
to align with what each of the rankings identify as the city’s
strengths.
Kiplinger’s report highlighted Houston’s strong energy
economy, robust job growth and low cost of living. Houston
was ranked first because it has generated over 100,000
jobs in the aerospace, technology and medical areas in the
last year, according to Kiplinger. With the cost of living in
Houston lower than other major cities, such as New York,
Hot city. Cool rankings. Houston is America’s top city for business,
San Francisco or Miami, those working in major industries of
jobs and quality of life.
technology and education earn more overall.
“Houston’s in a strong point right now,” Bauer College
right questions, to resolve problems and to adapt to other
Dean Arthur D. Warga said. “The credit crunch hasn’t hurt
cultures,” Warga said.
this city the way it has other parts of the country. We’re an
The college does that through several specialized
attractive place.”
course offerings, including the Global Energy Management
Warga said that while energy is important to the local
program and the Cyvia & Melvyn Wolff Center for
economy, Houston has diversified since the 1980s, and is
Entrepreneurship. Both programs have received national
now emphasizing technology and business. “Energy may
recognition in the last year, with BusinessWeek calling
still be the central theme, but a lot of support services have
the UH-Global Energy Management Institute one of
diversified to different lines of business,” he added.
the country’s best niche programs and Entrepreneur
BusinessWeek also recently named Houston as of the top
magazine ranking the Wolff Center as the #2 undergraduate
cities for careers ranging from energy
entrepreneurship program in the U.S.
to engineering. Competitive salaries,
Students are responding to the
cost of living and a growing energy
innovative curriculum and student
economy has made Houston a very
support services offered by Bauer College.
attractive market for job hunters,
Business colleges nationwide have had
BusinessWeek reported.
trouble recruiting students, but Bauer
“There has been growth in
is not facing that dilemma, Belinne said.
the job market as far as campus
“Compared to other colleges across the
recruitment,” said Jamie Belinne,
country, we have had a strong growth in
assistant dean and executive director
recruiting,” she added.
of the Rockwell Career Center at
Warga credits Bauer’s various rigorous
Bauer. “There has not been a decline
programs for student success in the energy
in the job market.”
and entrepreneurial sectors by instilling
Belinne said corporate demand
leadership and technological skills along
Career fairs held twice a year by Rockwell
for Bauer College students
with academics. The availability of courses
Career Center at UH Bauer typify the bustling
majoring in accounting, finance and
for either undergraduate or working
economic possibilities in Houston.
management information systems
professionals has been one of the major
has been high recently. In response, the college is offering
reasons Bauer has been able to keep education accessible to
students the opportunity to compete in a growing global
all its students, Warga said.
economy, Warga said.
“Our students tell us that they really value the flexibility
“With Houston becoming the energy capital of the
of class formats as well — for instance, we have part-time
world for a global industry the economy is in need of
MBA programs that are offered during the day, evening or
people who have the vision to think globally, to ask the
on weekends,” he said.

ecognition of a UH C. T. Bauer College of Business
Latha Ramchand, Associate Dean of Programs and
team that was recently judged the top American
Administration, echoed Matlock’s comments, saying, “We’d
team in the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute’s Global
like to celebrate and acknowledge everyone who made this
Investment Research Challenge brought Bauer supporters
possible, including Ted Bauer, who left behind not just $40
together for a celebration of the students’ amazing
million, but a legacy of ideas and values.
achievement.
“We are proud of our students’ achievements; we are
The team, which also placed third in the world, beat
prouder that our students have a very strong will to learn,”
out teams from powerhouse schools like MIT and Carnegie
she added. “We call it Ivy League smarts without the Ivy
Mellon University. The finish took on added significance
League attitude.”
since it was Bauer’s first year to compete in the Challenge.
Dean Arthur Warga also congratulated the students, and
Members of the winning team include graduate students
extended thanks to Tom George, director of the Cougar
Joe Corkin, Mauricio Franco, John Keeton and Quyen
Fund; Finance Chair Praveen Kumar and professors Ron
Nguyen, who are all part of the Cougar Investment Fund,
Singer, Bill Kretlow, and Guojun Wu, for their efforts on
a multi-million dollar private fund managed by select Bauer
behalf of the fund and this team.
students.
“The Cougar Fund
Keeton, the team leader,
has
really been about one
“It’s something I’ve been spending the last 10 years
noted that faculty members
success leading to another
trying to get the guys on Wall Street to do.”
who advised the team over long
success,” he said, noting
Neill Davis, CFO, Men’s Wearhouse
months of preparation, said that
that unlike many studentthey thought of themselves as coaches working with a team
run funds, Bauer’s is not funded by an endowment but is a
of Olympic athletes.
limited liability fund.
When the UH Bauer College of Business was named the
Neill Davis, the Chief Financial Officer and Executive
U.S. winner at the competition in New York City, the team
Vice President for Men’s Wearhouse, the company the
felt a thrill similar to what those award-winning athletes must
students were assigned to analyze less than three months
feel, he said.
before their winning presentation, praised “the community
“To know you are representing a larger group of people,
of Bauer supporters” who make its programs so successful.
the University of Houston, Bauer College, the Cougar Fund,
Academic leadership, faculty, supporters of the Cougar Fund
was just a great feeling,” he said.
and others have all helped to create “a unique platform for
“I’m sure Ted Bauer must be smiling on us today,” said
their talents,” he said.
Chris Matlock (’82, MBA ’93), representing the Board of
“These students were able to take this complex business
Managers for the Fund. “Our student success might have
model that on the surface may look like a simple business
caught some people off guard – a little commuter college
— selling suits — and they were able to analyze and distill
winning this national competition. I am not surprised,
detailed financial information and make recommendations —
having seen firsthand what Bauer students are like. They’re
it’s something I’ve been spending the last 10 years trying to
mature, they’re experienced, and most importantly, they’re
get the guys on Wall Street to do.”
hungry.”
Representatives from CFA were also on hand at the
celebration. In addition to funding the students’ trip to New
York City for the May 1 competition, the CFA Institute
will waive the team members’ fees for the Level 1 Financial
Analyst exam, and Texas CFA representatives presented the
students with $100 American Express gift cards.
Team member Mauricio Franco noted that while all of
the students work full time while going to school and put
a great deal of work into the challenge, “This wasn’t an
assignment. We enjoyed it from beginning to end. It was
fun.”
Combined with their academic work, the competition
was also educational and has exposed the team to incredible
opportunities, he said.
“In this past year I’ve learned more than in many years
Quyen Nguyen, John Keeton, Mauricio Franco, and Joe Corkin —
past,” he said, beaming.
another signature success story from the Cougar Investment Fund.

6

Bauer Alumni Tee Up for Scholarships
Members of the Bauer Alumni Association raised more than $50,000 for student scholarships at the annual Ted Bauer
Golf Classic on May 19. More participants than any other tournament to date — 34 foursomes — made this year’s event a
milestone for organizers, which included Bauer 100 Chair Oscar Gutierrez (’79, MBA ’94) and Bauer Alumni Association
board members Trey Wilkinson (’92, MBA ’02) and Kimberly Wilkinson (’93).
For the first time, the group also held an online auction in conjunction with the golf tournament to raise additional
scholarship funds. The auction brought in more than $9,000 for items such as sailing trips, autographed baseballs and
footballs, and artwork.

Left to right: Trey Wilkinson, Oscar
Gutierrez and Kimberly Wilkinson

Administaff president Richard
Rawson (’72), far left, led his foursome
throughout the course at Champions.

Nonprofit
Organization
U.S. Postage

PAID

334 Melcher Hall
Houston, TX 77204-6021
www.bauer.uh.edu
The University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.